Regularly referred to as the food world’s Oscars, the awards are coveted by the restaurant community.

McPhail bested a field of five, including three other New Orleans chefs nominated for Best Chef: South: Justin Devillier (La Petite Grocery), Alon Shaya (Domenica) and Sue Zemanick (Gautreau’s). The region includes Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi and Puerto Rico.

Chef Emeril Lagasse, third from right, and chef Frank Brigtsen, fifth from right, pose with NOCCA culinary students on March 22, 2011.NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

Also honored on Monday was Emeril Lagasse, who was named the 2013 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year. Lagasse’s charitable foundation has given more than $5 million to youth and educational programs, such as Cafe Reconcile, the Edible Schoolyard NOLA and the culinary program at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts.

Also earning James Beard bragging rights this year is Brett Martin, a New Orleans-based journalist who writes for GQ magazine. On Friday night, at the ceremony for media awards, Martin was honored for his profile of Danny Bowien, chef of Mission Chinese Food in New York and San Francisco.

A James Beard Award medalNOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

It was a good year for Bowien, too. He was named the Rising Star Chef of the Year.

A list of the 2013 chef and restaurant winners follows:

Best Chef: Great Lakes

Stephanie Izard, Girl & the Goat, Chicago

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic

Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.

Best Chef: Midwest

Colby Garrelts, Bluestem, Kansas City, MO

Best Chef: New York City

Wylie Dufresne, wd-50

Best Chef: Northeast

Melissa Kelly, Primo, Rockland, ME

Best Chef: Northwest

Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

Best Chef: South

Tory McPhail, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans

Best Chef: Southeast

Joseph Lenn, The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN

Best Chef: Southwest

Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Denver

Best Chef: West

Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA

Best New Restaurant

State Bird Provisions, San Francisco

Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional

Merry Edwards, Merry Edwards Winery, Sebastopol, CA

Outstanding Wine Program

Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO

Outstanding Bar Program

The Aviary, Chicago

Outstanding Service

Del Posto, New York City

Outstanding Pastry Chef

Brooks Headley, Del Posto, New York City

Outstanding Restaurateur

Maguy Le Coze, Le Bernardin, New York City

Rising Star Chef of the Year

Danny Bowien, Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco and New York City

Outstanding Restaurant

Blue Hill, New York City

Outstanding Chef

David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York City

Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago

2013 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics

C.F. Folks, Washington, D.C., owner: Art Carlson

Frank Fat’s, Sacramento, CA, owners: The Fat family

Keens Steakhouse, New York City, owner: George Schwarz

Kramarczuk’s, Minneapolis, owner: Orest Kramarczuk

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, Nashville, owner: Andre Prince Jeffries

2013 James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductees